Note-taking

1
Note-taking

• The real skill of note-taking lies not in the
  manual techniques for arranging material on a
  page, but in the cognitive techniques for looking
  for and asking relevant questions(Irving, 1985).
• HUH???
• Basically, hes saying to figure out what your
  questions are, then take notes on information
  that answers, or partially answers, the
  questions. Thats more important than whether
  you use note cards, graphic organizers, or
  whatever.

2

• First, after defining and narrowing your task,
  determine your essential, researchable questions.
• Need a review of Essential Questions? Click here

3
Note-taking and Essential Questions

• Once you have determined your essential question,
  next you must decide on your related questions.
  Remember, these are the smaller, more specific
  questions that must be answered in order to
  answer your essential question.

4
Keywords and Related Words

• Next, Identify keywords and related words in your
  essential and related questions.
• Transfer questions to a data chart, other graphic
  organizer, or note cards.
• As you examine possible sources of information
  (from encyclopedias, books, online databases,
  etc.), skim and/or scan the information, looking
  for answers to your questions.

5
Skimming Scanning

• Skimming Reading quickly looking for main ideas
  or supporting details in paragraphs.
• Read the first and last paragraph of sections.
• Read the first and last sentence of paragraphs.
• Take in large chunks of text at one time
• Scanning Moving eyes quickly over the material
  looking for one specific point .
• Look for keywords and related words.
• The words will jump off the page.

6
Note-taking

• Quoting
• Identical to the words found (word for word)
• Quotation marks must be used
• Cite the original source
• Paraphrasing
• Restating a passage in your own words
• About the same length as the original
• Use your own sentence structure
• Cite the original source
• Summarizing
• Putting main ideas/points into your own words.
• Presents only the most important ideas of a
  source usually very brief
• Cite the original source

7
Paraphrase Exercise

• Restating a passage in your own words
• About the same length as the original
• Use your own sentence structure
• Cite the original source
• Paraphrase exercise from
• OWL (Online Writing Lab)
• owl.english.purdue.edu/handouts/print/research/r_p
  araphrEX1.html
• Look at possible exercise answers.

8
Summarizing Practice

• Wen Ho Lee
• http//www.time.com/time/poy2000/pwm/lee.html
• Read the short article on Wen Ho Lee
• Summarize in your own words what the single main
  idea is.
• Paraphrase supporting points that come up in the
  article.
• Consider any words, phrases, or brief passages
  that you believe should be quoted directly.

9
Note-taking

• Note-taking graphic organizer with EQs and
  related Qs.
• Include all citation information
• See Get It Write Handbook or
• See Citation Guidelines Link or
• See Citation Machine
• Notes should answer the questions use keywords
  and phrases only-not complete sentences (unless a
  direct quote)